64 Days Until Chicago Bears 2017 Season Kicks Off: Eric Kush Profile
The Bear Goggles On Countdown to Kickoff series is now underway. With 64 days to go until the Bears season kicks off we will highlight the Bears player that is wearing number 64, offensive lineman Eric Kush
2016 Season Review
Eric Kush came over to the Chicago Bears last season from the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams. After Hroniss Grasu was injured, the door opened up for Kush to back up at both the center and guard positions. After injuries to both Kyle Long and Josh Sitton, Kush was on the field frequently and gave the Bears some solid play at guard coming down the stretch. Kush appeared in eight games and started four.
The Bears rewarded Kush with a 2-year, $2.7 million contract with $500,000 guaranteed.
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2017 Outlook
Kush doesn’t have a guaranteed roster spot, but he is positioned well to win a job in camp. The Bears starting five is set along the offensive line. The backup positions are definitely up for grabs. Along the interior, rookie Jordan Morgan, Grasu and Kush will battle for roster spots, as well as Tom Compton and Taylor Boggs. The Bears wouldn’t have signed Kush to this deal with some guaranteed money if they didn’t expect him to make the roster, however, swallowing $500,000 isn’t a deal breaker if the Bears decide to go in another direction.
I expect Kush to make this roster and handle sub duties at both guard and potentially center. If Sitton or Long miss time again, Kush should be the next man up.
Future with Bears
It’s tough to expect Kush to have any long-term value with the Bears. Kush is a solid backup, but is nothing more than that. Cody Whitehair and Long will be the Bears starters at C and one guard spot for a long time. In theory, Kush could play his way into a starting position when Sitton departs in a year or two, but that’s a long shot. Kush is a backup offensive lineman, and he could depart the Bears this August, next August, or perhaps even after 2018, but don’t expect him to be anything more than that.